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Send in the Clones

WebMD Archive

To Clone or Not to Clone?

As in the case of the atom bomb, say cloning critics, just
because we have the technology doesn't mean we should use it. With human
cloning, experts raise serious practical as well as ethical issues that call
the technology itself into question.

"Cloning mammals has been thus far a dismal record of
failures -- dead, dying, and deformed clones, and threats to the health and
life of the females bearing cloned fetuses," Thomas H. Murray, PhD,
president of the Hastings Center in Garrison, N.Y., tells WebMD.

"Dolly the cloned sheep is grossly obese, and probably not
normal," says Rudolf Jaenisch, MD. "Molly the cloned cow dropped dead
in the field one day for unknown reasons."

Jaenisch, a professor of biology at Massachusetts Institute of
Technology in Boston and a pioneer in animal models of gene transfer, is
concerned that clones could have subtle genetic defects showing up later, with
tragic consequences like brain damage.

"We can't assess that in a sheep that just eats grass all
day," he says.

Possible risks to the mother include the relatively gargantuan
size of the fetus. Because of the clone's excessive weight and a placenta seven
times normal size, a cesarean section is always needed in cloned animals,
Jaenisch explains.

If cloning works as rarely in humans as in animals, 95 to 99 of
every 100 pregnancies would fail, causing physical and emotional trauma for the
mother, he says.

Bouncing Baby Clone

"It was hit or miss before, but now the race is on,"
Zavos counters. "Acceleration of cloning developments will be astounding,
once humans are thrown into the equation. It's amazing what we humans can
do."

In humans, Zavos claims he will screen embryos for disease and
genetic abnormalities, then transfer only those likely to implant themselves
into the mother's womb.

"We're not sure that babies won't be born with defects, but
to aim for perfection is our goal. We're just humble human beings wanting to
assist couples in having a child," he says.

Jaenisch and others contend that screening may be inaccurate or
misleading: "It is totally irresponsible to undertake reproductive cloning.
People who want to do this are misleading the public and should be
stopped."